Blog

BY CAROL ARNETT
City Manager Ed Carlstrom has submitted the budget for fiscal year 2010 to Mayor Matt Robinson and the city council. In his budget message, Carlstrom writes that in light of today’s economic environment, the budget is conservative, but also optimistic.

Driving that optimism, Carlstrom writes, is the city’s “diverse revenue base, prior commitment to fortify the General Fund reserve balance, and vigorous economic development.” Carlstrom said that the city is also still benefiting from efforts put in place to improve efficiency after Ford announced that the Hazelwood plant was closing in 2002.

The budget includes $24.9 million for operations, $3.8 million for economic development, and $3.9 million in the Capital Improvement Fund. The proposed budget does not include cuts in service, employee compensation or jobs.

The proposed budget includes a new police unit funded by the Federal COPs Grant for three years. This Violent Crime Reduction Unit would consist of four officers.

Carlstrom recommends that the city reduce the sewer lateral fee per homeowner from the current $18 per year to $5 per year. This is because the funds are accumulating too quickly at the current rate.

The city receives most of its revenue through sales tax, and although Carlstrom writes that St. Louis Mills is still doing well, with slightly increased sales, the sales tax is distributed by pool in St. Louis County, with all taxes pooled and distributed to cities based on population.

However, the city received a parks and storm water tax, economic development tax, and use tax directly, based on point of sale.

City employees will not received cost of living increases, but there will be not personnel cuts. The biggest capital improvements include street maintenance, at $1.1 million, vehicles at $546,000, and aquatic center payments at $430,000.

The city will hold a public hearing on the budget and vote on it at the next council meeting.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us